1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a field of the electronic commerce (EC) using telecommunications networks, more particularly to an online merchandising system, a server, an estimate managing method, a computer program product, and a computer data signal for effective use of estimation data.
2. Description of the Related Art
As growth of the Internet, “Online shopping” based on EC technology becomes very popular way of shopping. A user just operates an Internet connectable terminal such as a personal computer to enjoy the online shopping.
Ordinary, the user may be required sign-in process before login the online shopping site. After the successful login, item catalog pages may be presented to the user. If the user selects desired items on the catalog page, another accounting page is given. The shopping may be completed after the user inputs information necessary for accounting.
Not only private users (home users) but also business users (companies, enterprises, organizations, and the like) often use the online shopping. Ordinary, such the business users often requires estimates before purchase. For example, a person in charge of the purchase affairs (hereinafter, referred to as “purchase manager”) may require the merchandiser to issue the estimate when they purchase items. Once the estimate is issued, the person in charge is often required to request his/her supervisor to have a consultation for approving the estimate. If the supervisor (consultant) approves the estimate, the items will be ordered.
Since it often takes considerable time before the consultant makes the decision for approval, stock status (inventory status) of the items may often fluctuate. That is, the items which were available (in-stock) when the estimate was issued, may become “sold-out” items when the consultant decides to approve the estimate. In such the case, the approved estimate may be invalid, thus, the company fails to achieve the purchase.
The present invention has been made as a solution for the above inconveniences, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an online merchandising system, a server, an estimate managing method, a computer program product, and a computer data signal for effective use of estimation data.